Gonzalez Makes History in Houston

Friday, October 22

Houston

5 PM

California Baptist University

9-2-3, 4-1-2

Houston Baptist

2-12-0, 0-7-0

California Baptist

Houston Baptist

Gonzalez Makes History in Houston

10/22/2021 8:07:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

By: Daniel Cook, Assistant Director of Athletics Communications

HOUSTON – Brian Gonzalez joined elite company in Houston tonight, becoming just the eighth Lancer ever to record three assists in a single game. The historic performance came during the California Baptist University men's soccer rout of Houston Baptist, where CBU won by a score of 4-2. The results improve CBU to 9-2-3 on the season and 4-1-2 in conference play. Houston drops to 2-12 on the year and still winless in Western Athletic Conference action at 0-7.

‼️𝙇𝘼𝙉𝘾𝙀𝙍𝙎 𝙒𝙄𝙉‼️ Brian Gonzalez matches the program single-game assist record with three, including helping on Emiel Deconinck's game-winner in the 42nd minute!#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/LgynSTRZqs
— California Baptist Men's Soccer (@CBUmsoccer) October 23, 2021

"I'm really pleased with the performance tonight. From the opening whistle, we were on it. The conference is very good this year, the best it has been, and so it is vital to pick up three points on the road and keep ourselves in the mix at the top," reflected Head Coach Coe Michaelson after the game. "It's unfortunate to give up the late goals but the game was won, and it was important to use the whole squad and diminish the impact of four games in nine days."

The two-goal margin wasn't truly indicative of how dominant the Lancers' were during the 90 minutes of action, as the Husky's scored on a penalty kick in the 77^th minute and on a literal last-minute shot in the 90^th. CBU held HBU to just two shots on goal outside of the two scores.

Bryan Iliohan got things started fast and early, scoring in the fifth minute off Gonzalez's first assist. The goal pushes Iliohan back into sole possession of the top goal-scoring spot in the conference, as he is the first and only player in the Western Athletic Conference to break double-digit goals so far this season.

Brian Gonzalez draws in four Husky defenders before setting up Bryan Iliohan for a one-step shot into the back of the net!#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/OuVyiB3UKH
— California Baptist Men's Soccer (@CBUmsoccer) October 23, 2021

Luis Mueller doubled the Lancer lead in the 22^nd minute with another great bending shot from distance, assisted by Gonzalez. Mueller and Gonzalez are tied for the team lead in assists after tonight's efforts at four each as a trio closes in behind them with three.

🇩🇪🥅 German engineering at its finest!#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/TH1J31yaMZ
— California Baptist Men's Soccer (@CBUmsoccer) October 23, 2021

Minutes before the halftime horn, Gonzalez and Jordan Lane were a menacing duo on the end line inside of the HBU goal box, passing back and forth until a thin window opened up that allowed Gonzalez to team up with Lane for the assist on the eventual game-winning goal from Emiel Deconinck in the 42^nd minute.

Jordan Lane splits four defenders and finds Emiel Deconinck for no-doubter! Deconinck is the 10th Lancer to score this season!#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/V94GXAQATh
— California Baptist Men's Soccer (@CBUmsoccer) October 23, 2021

It took just five minutes into the second half for Danny Garcia to score what would be one of the more bizarre goals of the season. Garcia lifted a corner kick towards the far post, which would be securely caught and handled by the HBU keeper. What the keeper did not realize is that the shot had carried him beyond his line, so when he came down with what seemed to be a save and stepped back, he pulled the ball past the goal line for a Lancer score.

"Futball is life" - 𝘿𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙮 R̷o̷j̷a̷s̷ 𝙂𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙞𝙖#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/KKpZ2LvQ6R
— California Baptist Men's Soccer (@CBUmsoccer) October 23, 2021

Despite their best efforts, the Husky's would manage only to cut the lead in half before the final horn, as the Lancers secured their sixth road-win of the season, the most for CBU since they collected eight in 2017.

UP NEXT

California Baptist University is in the midst of a daunting stretch of four games in nine days, the next of which will have the Lancers back in the Central time zone for a game against Chicago State. This is the Cougars' second year of collegiate men's soccer and first playing within the WAC. The game is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 24, with a start time of 10 a.m. on the West Coast.